


And A Spare

by saisei



Series: Original Lifeline [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Implied/Referenced Dubious Consent, M/M, Mpreg, ruthlessness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-27 10:28:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 848
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13878954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/saisei/pseuds/saisei
Summary: Ignis didn't intend to tell anyone, but then Altissia happened.





	And A Spare

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "pregnancy reveals" prompt: https://fail-fandomanon.dreamwidth.org/297946.html?thread=1688771034#cmt168

Ignis half-hoped his injuries in Altissia would take care of his problem, but he should have known by now that he wasn't lucky. He woke from a drugged sleep to find his eyes bandaged, the worst of the lacerations stitched, broken ribs no longer an agony. Gladio was at his side in an instant, catching his hand as it wavered up to – to _see_.

"Morning," Gladio said. His voice was abraded, like he'd been awake for days. "Stay still. You're all fucked up."

"The ring," Ignis explained, or tried to. His mouth didn't move properly, and the words slurred.

Gladio's laugh was short and angry. "What the hell were you doing?"

Ignis' head – and everything else – hurt too much to try and read the atmosphere. "Ardyn."

"Shit." Fingers combed through Ignis' hair gently, like an apology. "Hey. News to me, but the medic says your baby's fine. That's one good thing, right?" Ignis shook his head, and had to catch his breath against the shards of pain the movement caused. "No moving. Let me just – " Gladio let go, and in his terrifying absence Ignis heard the sound of furniture being dragged. A chair? And then Gladio was back, and Ignis clung shamefully to his hand. "Sleep. I got this."

Ignis very much doubted that he did, but it was a nice fantasy. He wanted so much to believe.

* * *

When they were stumbling through Zegnatus trying to find Noct, Gladio made Ignis promise to tell the others. _After all_ , he said, _they'll be able to see for themselves soon._

Ignis was sickened by the cowardly relief he felt at not having a chance to tell Noct before the crystal devoured him. As penance, he told Prompto at the first camp they made on the terrible journey back to Lucis.

"Holy crap," Prompto said, after a stunned silence. "I mean – _shit_. Who's the... other parent? I thought you weren't seeing anyone. Is it – I guess you didn't plan this. Are you okay? Am I supposed to be sorry or happy for you?"

"It doesn't concern you," Gladio said, from the other side of the shed they'd taken shelter in.

"If it's not your kid, you don't get to tell me that," Prompto snapped.

"He died in Insomnia," Ignis said. He had no patience for their bickering, and he might as well start establishing his story now. "The timing was terrible to begin with, and now it's frankly terrifying. But I'll be fine. I appreciate your concern."

"I'll take care of you." Gladio always had a burr of anger to his voice these days; the words came out sounding like a threat, and Ignis nearly smiled.

* * *

"I been thinking," Gladio said one day as he walked with Ignis back to the cramped flat they shared with four other refugees. He was carrying the shopping and keeping a steadying hand on the arm not holding the walking stick. Ignis had reached the point where he couldn't see his feet any more (he loved that joke and used it as often as he could), and was more than ready to be done with pregnancy for good. "You don't need to tell me if I'm right or anything."

"I doubt you are," Ignis said. "But I suppose you need to get whatever it is off your chest."

"I hear the ring cooked Nyx Ulric to death. He was a commoner. Ravus lost an arm – I bet his family tree had Lucian blood somewhere. What kept you alive?" When Ignis didn't reply, he went on. "You were already on birth control when you joined the Crownsguard. Did wonders for your acne, but there were rumors – you know."

Of course he did. He'd been the target, after all. "Make your accusation and have done with it."

"Is that Noct's son, or his brother?"

Ignis kept his expression blank, but he couldn't help drawing a sharp breath. Having the words spoken made him feel... exposed. Ashamed. _Used_.

"Okay," Gladio said. "Okay. Just so I get this straight in my head – I don't need the whole story, but it was something you wanted? You agreed."

"I agreed." Insofar as one could agree to what was essentially an order. That was how Ignis was raised. One said _yes_ , without entertaining any thought of refusal. "Though," and he shouldn't admit this; it's a betrayal of trust, "I was under the impression that I was on contraceptives at the time. My theory is that it was a... back up plan, of a sort."

"Fucked up plan," Gladio snapped, and there was the predictable simmering anger again. "I'm sorry, Iggy."

Hearing the words just made him that much more tired. "I am, too."

* * *

Childbirth was excruciating, a torturous process that lasted days in a town with no modern medical facilities. Ignis left bruises up and down Gladio's arms from riding out contractions without any of the drugs that would have been common in Insomnia. He named the child for his uncle but didn't give him a surname, superstitiously.

He didn't ask Gladio who the baby looked like. He didn't want to know.


End file.
